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= Fluorescent Specimen

Photos are of typical specimens and do not relate to the specimens
described on the list.

MOLDAVITELocenice, near Ceske Budejovice, Bohemia, Czech Republic

The Nördlinger Ries is a large
circular depression in western
Bavaria,
Germany,
located north of the
Danube in
the district of
Donau-Ries.
The city of
Nördlingen
is located about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) southwest of the center of the
depression.

The depression is interpreted as a meteorimpact crater
formed about 14.3 million–14.5 million years ago in the Miocene. The crater
is most commonly referred to simply as the Ries or Ries crater. The original
crater rim had an estimated diameter of 24 kilometers (15 miles). The
present floor of the depression is about 100 to 150 meters (330 to 490 feet)
below the eroded remains of the rim. It was originally assumed that the
Ries crater was of volcanicorigin. In 1960 Eugene Shoemaker
and a colleague showed that the depression was caused by a meteorite impact.
Another impact crater, the much smaller (3.8 km diameter) Steinheim crater,
is located about 42 km (26 miles) west-southwest from the center of Ries
crater. The two craters are believed to have formed nearly simultaneously
by the impact of a binary asteroid.

Recent computer modeling of the impact event indicates
that the meteorites probably had diameters of about 1.5 kilometers
(4,900 feet) (Ries) and 150 meters (490 feet) (Steinheim), had a pre-impact
separation of some tens of kilometers, and impacted the target area at an
angle around 30 to 50 degrees from the surface in a west-southwest to
east-northeast direction. The impact velocity is thought to have been about
20 km/s (45,000 mph). The resulting explosion had the power of 1.8 million
Hiroshima bombs,
an energy of roughly 2.4x10^21 joules.

The Ries crater impact event is believed to be the
source of moldavitetektites
found in Bohemia
and Moravia(Czech
Republic). The tektite melt originated
from a sand-rich surface layer and was ejected to distances up to 450 km
(280 miles) downrange of the crater.

The moldavite specimens offered here are of
excellent quality, translucent-transparent, olive-bottle green color
specimens exhibiting attractive natural, irregularly shaped features on all
sides. All are in natural condition, as field collected. All specimens
have tiny edge chips, but are perfect for reference collection. With a
hardness of approximately 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, they are
also highly recommended for jewelry fabrication. The accompanying
photographs illustrate typical moldavite specimens – none of the specimens
offered here are illustrated in the photos.

PREHNITE after ANHYDRITE Lower New Street Quarry, Paterson, Passaic County, New
Jersey Light lime green color crystallized Prehnite has formed several
stalactite-like molds after prismatic Anhydrite crystals. The three
longest Prehnite molds each measure approximately 1” in length, and are
+/- 3/8” in diameter, oriented in an upright position. All of the
Prehnite molds are 100% hollow, and the forms of the original, individual
Anhydrite crystals are very sharply reproduced --- visible on the base of
the specimen (no rock matrix). Dark green hexagonal crystals of Chlorite
form numerous microscopic rosettes, “peppered” all over the top of the
crystallized, stalactite-like Prehnite. For background information, see
the “Min. Record” magazine, Vol. 9, P. 165-166, and Fig. 22 on P. 171. Size: 2 3/8” X 1 3/4” X 1 1/4” Order Item MS-004 SOLD

VARISCITE
Lucin District, Box Elder County, Utah
This multi-colored, bright green nodular mass of Variscite has been
freeform polished on the front of the specimen, for display purposes. The
back of the specimen has also been worked, but has a matte luster, rather
than a bright polish. The natural gray matrix which is shown in the bottom
of the photo, as oriented in the accompanying photograph, extends around
the back, and covers about 30% of the back of the specimen.
Size: 3 1/2" tall X 2 3/8" wide X up to 1" thick.
Order Item MS-005
List Price: $40. Discount Price: $25. SOLD